Machine for forming trussed metal structures.



A. J. BATES. MACHINE FOR FORMING TRUSSBD METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29 1913 Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. J. BATES. MACHINE FOR FORMING TRUSSED METAL STRUCTURES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 29, 1913.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. J. BATES. MACHINE FOR FORMING TRUSSED METAL STRUCTURES. APPLIUATIONFILED MAR. 29. 1913.

1,083,186. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THTHIHHHH HI HUIHHIIIIIIIIHHIIHIHIH no sepison f To all'wlioiniitmagrconcem:1 V 3 Be itknown that t]:, AL inRrJ. B i'rns a citizens of. theUnited States,; res d ng. at

Chicago,- in the county of Cooknndj State of. Illinois, have:inventedficerta n new and use; ful Improvements in. Machines forFOIIl'llIlg,

Trusscd Metal Structures, pf which the fol: lowing isa specification.

This invention relates in generaltto metalworking machines and has moreparticular ,a

reference to machines for v forming trussed niet al structuresfroinslitted metal blanks, the purpose being to stretch one portion of ablanlcof. this. character. away fromvits original, position sothat thesame will .form

,tension, nembcr and .to iipset or compress ldngitiidinally anotherportion of theblank to fbrina cbmpression member, the truss'ed structurewhen pompletcd being shaped and proportioned ,soasto be suitable for useas the ,s idch fraine of a railway truck, or the ike.

tcri lflbjeindicated by means of which the method of forming ,trussedmetal structures "disclosed inI-my application Ser al'Number I 757,117filed March 29, '1913, may be pracusecl...,'j j I .,-knother.objcct,isto provide a machine which ivilljhold ainetal blank of the desired.

shape and will automatically and simultaneouslyi sti'etch one portion ofthe blank to produce, a tension ineifnber; and upset or compress.leiigitiidinally another portion of, the blanli to produce, thecompression members or a trussed sti-iictiire and which shall bestrongan'cldurableand eificient in operation and,v a. the same time,simple in construction and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the lllYGlitlOIlwill be apparent as the same is better understood by reference to thefollowing description when considered in connection w th theaccompanying drawings'by means of which a preferred embodiinent of theinvention is illustrated.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 IS a plan view-oft: machine embodyingmy 111.-

vention; F ig. 2 is a similar view showing the position that, certainparts assume before the operation 3 is a transverse view of the machine,certain parts being shown in section; Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsectional.

Oneofth e objects" of the present invention, is the provision of amachine of the charac-.

of the machine is begun; Fig.

YALBTE'R'I' J. Barns-, oncnlcneo', IIZLInoIs '1 MACHINE iron romaineTRUSSED'METAL sra'uc'ru'nns.

, operationplfig .5 is a tive view of the central section ofnthe bed;,l1ig;.6 is. a planviewpf a blank upon which my present machine isdesigned. to. operate;

means .of my machine from the blank shown, in Fig. 6.

heavy base or frame, designatedgenerally operating parts are mounted.

frame in suitable bearings 12 and mounted a longitudinally.movable shaft14 which, in theipresent instance is shown as provided with threads andbetween the bearings 12 and 13 there is mounted on the shaft 1'4 anut 15having threaded engagement-with the shaft. Thenut is rotated by .a gearwheel 16 to which it is rigidly secured and this gear, in turn, isactuated from a drive pinion 17 fixed upon a drive shaft 18whichisequipped with looseand fast pulleys. 19 and 21, respectively,through which the machine receives its power from any suitable source.It will be 'manifest that rotation of the nut .ing mechanism disclosedwill cause the shaft 19- to travel longitudinally in its bearings.

Upon the inner end of the shaft 14 I have ,mounted a cross-head 22 towhich are connected the means for stretching the tension member and themeans for upsetting the compression member of the blank to be 0peratedupon.

Vertically disposed shafts or pintles 23 are carried at each side of themachine in appropriate bearings 24; and to the top of each shaft isfixedly secured an arm 25 having an enlarged base 26' at its pivotal.end upon which an end section 27 of the bed which supports the blank iscarried. .The bed also comprises a central section 28 provided at itsinner edge with tongues 29 which fit in similarly shaped grooves in theopposed faces of the end sections 27, thereby connecting the centralsection with the end sections :in sucha way that the end sections are.permitted to slide longitudinally of the central section but arerestricted from transverse movement relatively to the cen- Upon vthe vtral section.- The central section is slidvi :wisliowing the posiation-of; the parts atthe. completion of an Y fragmentaryperspecj andRig. isa similar viewiof thezcompleted structure formed .by.

By. reference to the drawings, it will be observed that the machinecomprises a.

by reference-character 11 upon which the,

s e e-130. 1 11.

13 I have 15 through the drivsections are omitted ably supportedintermediate its ends upon a stationary guideway or track 31 fixed tothe main frame of the machine.

It will be observed from Fig. 2 that the endsections 27 areprovided'with grooves 32 disposed in alinement with and forming acontinuation of a similar groove 33 in the central section 28. Thesegrooves are adapted to receive one of the flanges 34 of the blank 35when the blank is placed on the bed with the flanges disposeddownwardly. The end members are also provided at the opposite sides withcorresponding grooves 36 adapted to receive the other flange of theblank, but it will be observed that these grooves and the forward wallsof the end port-ion oftheir length so that no obstruction is offered tothe. stretching of the tensienmember-Qin an-edgewisedirection toward thedriving 5nd of the machine.

The bed; above described provided with the grooves shown is particularlyadapted to receive a channel-shaped blank such as is shown in Fig. 6,but, if it should be desirable to operate upon blanks of diflerent form,the bed, of course, would be shaped to correspond with the contour ofthe particular blank employed. The blank as shown in Fi 6 is providedwith a longitudinally exten ing slit 37 and before being laced in themachine is preferably heated to acilitate the stretching and upsettingoperations. The blank after being positioned on the bed with the flangesdisposed downwardly is clamped to the central section 33 by a clampingbar or plate 38 which is forced down against that portion of the blankon one side ofthe slit 37 by hand-operated nuts 39 threaded ontosuitable studs or pins 41 rojecting upwardly from the central mem er 28through elongated slots 42. These slots permit the withdrawal of theclamping plate from operative position so that a blank may be disposedon the bed. The blank is clamped to the endsections 27 of the bed byclamping bars 43 pivoted to the sections at 44 and adapted to be swunginto engagement with pins 45, hand-operated nuts 46 being employed toforce the bars into clamping position.

For the purpose of stretching the unclamped portion of the blankedgewise away from its original position, substantially into the shapeshown in Fig. 7, I have secured upon the cross-head 22 a pair of groovedmembers 47 which are adapted to receive one of the downturned flanges ofthe blank. These grooved members are spaced a short distance apart andare connected by a bar 48 which travels upon and is guided by anextension 49 of the bed support 31. Prior to the placing of a blank inthe machine the cross-head is moved toward he bed until the groovedmembers 47 throughout the. majdi are disposed in alinement with thegrooves 36 of the end sections 27 so that when a blank is placed on thebed 'one of its flanges will be engaged in the grooves of the'members47. Suitable buttons 51 pivoted at 52 on the grooved members are thenturned into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to hold the flange ofthe blank in engagement with these members. The crosshead is then drawnaway from the bed by longitudinal movement of the shaft l4 to stretchthe portion of the blank engaged by the groove members away from theclamped portion held by the bed. In order to prevent distortion of theflange engaged in the groove during the stretching action, I havemounted upon the sides of each grooved member 47 a hook 53 which isadapted to drop into the position shown in Fig. 4 behind the portion ofthe blank being stretched as soon as an initial separation of thisportion from the bed has been made. In operation it is preferable toperform the initial stretching through engagement of the grooved memberswith the flanges, as previously described, after which the operatingmechanism may be reversed to relieve thetension on the parts and permitthe hooks 53 to drop into operative position as shown in Fig. 4. Duringthe completion of the stretching movement the greater part of the strainis taken by these hooks and the flange of the tension member beingformed will be relieved of excessive strains so that danger ofdistorting the same is eliminated.

For the purpose of upsetting or longitudinally compressing the clampedportion of the blank to produce the compression member of the completedstructure, I have connected the end sections 27 of the bed with theswinging arms 25 so that these sections are moved longitudinally towardeach other to exert a longitudinal compression upon the from the bedfrom the position shown in- Fig. 2 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The

studs 54 during the swinging movement of the arms travel in arcs aboutthe pivotal shafts 23, as will be obvious from Fig. 2, thereby forcingthe end sections 27 longitudinally toward each other to exert therequired compression upon the compression member of the blank and upsetthe metal the required amount. It will be manifest that the end sectionsof the bed travel in an arc, and that the bed as a whole has a slight',5 the foregoing without further transverse movement which isincidental 'vers'ely' with the end sectionslupon the track 5 org'uides"31 as has"bee'n previously explained.

In the operation of the Iiiachine the parts are first 'moved to theposition shown in Fig.

2 and the clamping plate 38 and the clamp-1 ingbars 43 are moved' to.ino erative posirinit the placing of a blank on the "tion to p" bed." fThe. blank having previously been slited and also heated to stretchingand upsetting placed on the bed with the flanges extending downwardly..The clamps38 and 43 are thenmoved to operative position. to firmlyclamp the blank and the buttons 51 1are swung intolthe flange from thegrooved members 47. The driving inechanismofthe machine is now set inoperationto Withdraw the cross-head from thebed. After the initialmovement has been efiected the tension is released to permit the hookspositionl The mechanism is then again set in operation and a portion ofthe blank is substantially the stretched until it assumes position shownin Fig. l to provide the'tension member of the structure. At the sametime the movement of the crosshead through the instrumentality of thearms 25 causes the end sections of the bed to move longitudinally towardeach other thereby exerting longitudinal compression upon the blankcarried-by the bed suliiciently to upset the metal of the compressionmember and reduce the structure to the desired length. This compression,of course, increases the length of the tension member and enables thismember to be stretched to the required position without rupturing orweakening the metal.

The completed structure produced by this machinecomprises, as shown inFig. 7, the stretched tension memberfi l and the upset compressionmember 55 integrally c011- nected at their ends, this structure beingsuitably shaped and proportioned for use as a side frame in theconstruction of railway car trucks. t

It is believed that my invention and its mode of operation will beunderstood from description and it will be manifest that many variationsin structure may be resorted to within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for structures from slitted metal blanks, thecombination of a sectional bed adapted to receive a blank, means toclamp the blank on the bed, means for moving one-portion 5 of the blankawayfrom the clamped porfacilitate the operations is position shown inFigs. 1 and 4' to prevent withdrawal of the blank .one portion of the 53to drop into operativemoving said cross-head away from said bed,

forming trussed metal tion and simultaneously elongating the movedportionyand means for, moving one end section of the bed toward theother end sect-ionic eXert a longitudinal compression upon saidclampedportion of the blank.

In a machine for forming trussed metal structures from .slitted. metalblanks, the combination of ,a bed comprising a central section and endsections, clamps mounted on said bed, stretching means adapted to beengaged with a blank positioned on said bed, mechanism for. withdrawingsaid stretching means from the bed to elongate the portion of vthefblankengaged by said. stretching means, and means formoving said end sectionsof the bed toward'eachother.

3. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures from slitted metalblanks, the combination of a bed comprising a central sect-ion and endsections provided with grooves to receive theflanges of a channelshapedblank, a cross-head, means for connecting the cross-head with one edgeof a blank or. the bed to displace and elongate blank, mechanism for andoperative connections between the crosshead and the end sections of thebed whereby said end sections are moved toward eac other by thecross-head during its movement away from the bed.

4. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures from slitted metalblanks, the combination of a bed adapted to re-- ceive the blank to beoperated upon, a crosshead movable .toward and 'from said bed, groovedmembers secured to said cross-head and adapted to engage a downwardlyprojecting flange of a channel-shaped blank on said bed, means forholding the blank flange in said grooved members, ed to cooperate withsaid to stretch a portion of the the bed.

5. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures from slitted metalblanks, the combination of a sectional bed adapted to receive achannel-shaped blank, a crosshead mounted to move toward and from saidbed, means carried by the cross-.head for engaging with said blank, apair of pivotally mounted arms disposed beneath said bed, linksconnecting the free ends of said arms with the cross-head, andconnections between said arms and the bed sections whereby the bedsections are moved relatively to each other upon movement of thecross-head.

6. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures, the combination ofa bed comprising a central section and end sections, a centrallydisposed guide upon which the central section is adapted to travel, across-head, a pair of arms pivoted beneath the end sections of the bed,studs projecting and hooks adaptgrooved members blank away from upwardlyfrom said arms into engagementwith the end sections of the bed, llnkscon necting the free ends of said arms with said cross-head, andmechanism for moving said cross-head toward and from the bed, the endsections of the bed being moved from and toward each othersimultaneously with the movement of the cross-head.

7. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures, the combination ofa sectional bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a rotatable nut engagedwith said shaft to move the same longitudinally upon rotation of thenut, means movable with the shaft adapted toengage the flange of a metalblank on said bed, and connections between said shaft and the endsections of said bed whereby upon movement of the shaft in alongitudinal direction the end sections are moved toward and from eachother.

8; In a machine for forming trussed metal structures, the combination ofa sectional bed adapted to receive a slitted metal blank, a shaftmounted to move longitudi- Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, h addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

nally toward and from said bed, a crosshead connected with said shaft,means carricd by said cross-head constructed to engage with one edge ofthe metal blank on said bed, and connections between the end sections ofthe bed and said cross-head for moving the end sections together tocompress the portion of the blank on the bed when the cross-head iswithdrawn from the bed to draw a portion of the blank away from the bed.

9. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures from slitted metalblanks, the combination of a sectional bed adapted to support a blank,mechanism for grasping one edge of said blank, means for moving saidmechanism toward and from the bed, and levers connected with the endsections of the bed and operable by said means to move said end sectionstoward and from each other.

10. In a machine for forming trussed metal structures, the combinationof a-sectional bed comprising a longitudinally movable section, across-headpaif arm pivoted he: f-

neath the movable sectionfofthe bed, a

projecting upwardly fI'OIII' S'ELId arm iiito engagement with saidmovable section, a link connecting the free end of said arm with saidcross-head, and mechanism for moving said cross-head toward and from thebed, the movable section of the bed being moved longitudinallysimultaneously with the movement of the cross-head.

- ALBERT J. BATES.

Witnesses:

IRA J. WILSON, FRANKLIN M. WARDEN.

